Socorro Gomes: Preventing war, defending peace and solidarity with the Venezuelan people

In the dramatic moment when the danger of war is imposed on Latin America, peace and solidarity forces reject the brutal offensive unleashed by US imperialism against the Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuela and the legitimate government led by President Nicolás Maduro.

By Socorro Gomes

Supported by reactionary internal forces and satellite countries, the White House promotes a coup and prepares military intervention. This offensive reached a high point when, on 23 January, National Assembly President Juan Guaidó proclaimed himself the country's "interim president", in a flagrant violation of the Constitution.

In subsequent weeks, US imperialism set the stage for intervention, under the pretext of providing "humanitarian aid." The attempt to overthrow the national government and intervene in the South American country violates all norms of international law, in particular the Charter of the United Nations. It is a serious attack on world peace, an aggression on the principle of self-determination of peoples and on national sovereignty.

The North American offensive against Venezuela aims to loot the immense national wealth, mainly the oil of which the country has the largest world reserves. It also seeks to end a rich experience of building popular democracy, asserting national sovereignty, regional integration for shared development and unity among peoples.

Last Saturday, February 23, the Venezuelan people gave a great example of resistance by dismantling the farce of the imposition of humanitarian aid. It won a huge political victory, in defending peace in the country and in the region and ensuring its own sovereignty.

However, Donald Trump's government, the satellite countries of the Lima Group and their puppets of the Venezuelan oligarchy show that they will not give up their neocolonial plans. They intensify threats, increase sanctions and prepare new measures that threaten the rights of the Venezuelan people.

In rejecting such plans, the World Peace Council has repeatedly expressed full and unconditional solidarity with the Venezuelan people, with the national entity that integrates its ranks, the COSI - Committee of International Solidarity, and renewed its commitment and struggle for peace and affirmation of the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people.

The threat of imperialist war has become acute in Latin America, jeopardizing peace, stability and security of all the peoples in the region. This war, if unleashed, can spread to the whole world, with unpredictable consequences.

More than ever, the peace-loving forces must awaken the peoples' conscience, warn them of these dangers and mobilize them in the struggle for world peace and the affirmation of the peoples' interests.